Verbena plant named ‘Rap Purey Two’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of  Verbena  plant named ‘Rap Purey Two’, characterized by its compact, low and outwardly spreading, and decumbent plant habit; freely branching habit; early and uniform flowering habit and violet-colored flowers with distinct white-colored centers.

Botanical classification/cultivar designation: Verbena hybrida×Verbenatenuisecta cultivar Rap Purey Two.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present Invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Verbenaplant, botanically known as Verbena hybrida×Verbena tenuisecta, andhereinafter referred to by the name ‘Rap Purey Two’.

The new Verbena is a product of a planned breeding program conducted bythe Inventor in Gilroy, Calif. The objective of the breeding program isto develop new compact Verbena cultivars with early and uniformflowering, good basal branching, attractive flower and foliagecoloration, and tolerance to Powdery Mildew.

The new Verbena originated from a cross-pollination made by the Inventorin February, 2000 of the Verbena hybrida cultivar Morena, disclosed inU.S. Plant Pat. No. 11,231, as the female, or seed, parent with aproprietary Verbena hybrida×Verbena tenuisecta selection identified ascode number 99-843-4, not patented, as the male, or pollen, parent. Thecultivar Rap Purey Two was discovered and selected by the Inventor as aflowering plant within the progeny from this cross-pollination in acontrolled environment in Gilroy, Calif. in October, 2000.

Asexual reproduction of the new cultivar by terminal cuttings in Gilroy,Calif., since October, 2000 has shown that the unique features of thisnew Verbena are stable and reproduced true to type in successivegenerations of asexual reproduction.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined tobe the unique characteristics of ‘Rap Purey Two’. These characteristicsin combination distinguish ‘Rap Purey Two’ as a new and distinctcultivar:

-   -   1. Compact, low and outwardly spreading, and decumbent plant        habit.    -   2. Freely branching habit.    -   3. Early and uniform flowering habit.    -   4. Dark violet-colored flowers with distinct white-colored        centers.    -   5. Relatively less susceptible to Powdery Mildew.

In side-by-side comparisons conducted in Gilroy, Calif., plants of thenew Verbena differed from plants of the female parent, the cultivarMorena, in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Verbena were more trailing than plants of        the cultivar Morena.    -   2. Plants of the new Verbena and the cultivar Morena differed in        flower coloration as plants of the cultivar Morena had        pink-colored flowers.

In side-by-side comparisons conducted in Gilroy, Calif., plants of thenew Verbena differed from plants of the male parent selection in thefollowing characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Verbena had narrower leaves than plants of        the male parent selection.    -   2. Plants of the new Verbena flowered earlier than plants of the        male parent selection.    -   3. Plants of the new Verbena and the male parent selection        differed in flower color as plants of the male parent selection        had red purple-colored flowers.

The new Verbena can be compared to the cultivar, Babylon Carpet Blue,not patented. However, in side-by-side comparisons conducted in Gilroy,Calif., plants of the new Verbena differed from plants of the cultivarBabylon Carpet Blue in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Verbena had shorter internodes than plants        of the cultivar Babylon Carpet Blue.    -   2. Leaves of plants of the new Verbena were larger than leaves        of plants of the cultivar Babylon Carpet Blue.    -   3. Flowers of plants of the new Verbena were lighter violet in        color than flowers of plants of the cultivar Babylon Carpet        Blue.    -   4. Flowers of plants of the new Verbena had distinct        white-colored centers whereas flowers of plants of the cultivar        Babylon Carpet Blue did not have distinct white-colored centers.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying colored photographs illustrate the overall appearanceof the new cultivar, showing the colors as true as it is reasonablypossible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type.

The photograph at the top of the sheet comprises a side perspective viewof a typical flowering plant of ‘Rap Purey Two’.

The photograph at the bottom of the sheet is a close-up view of typicalflower racemes and leaves of ‘Rap Purey Two’.

Flower and foliage colors in the photographs may differ slightly fromthe color values cited in the detailed botanical description whichaccurately describe the colors of the new Verbena.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

Plants of the cultivar Rap Purey Two have not been observed under allpossible environmental conditions. The phenotype may vary somewhat withvariations in environment such as temperature and light intensity,without, however, any variance in genotype. The aforementionedphotographs and following observations and measurements describe plantsgrown in Gilroy, Calif., under commercial practice in apolyethylene-covered greenhouse during the summer with day temperaturesabout 24 to 32° C., night temperatures about 13 to 18° C. and lightlevels about 2,000 foot-candles. Plants used for the photographs anddescription were about twelve weeks from planting rooted cuttings andwere pinched twice. In the following description, color references aremade to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart, 1995 Edition,except where general terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used.

-   Botanical classification: Verbena hybrida×Verbena tenuisecta    cultivar Rap Purey Two.-   Parentage:    -   -   Female, seed, or parent.—Verbena hybrida cultivar Morena,            disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 11,231.        -   Male, or pollen, parent.—Proprietary Verbena hybrida×Verbena            tenuisecta selection identified as code number 99-843-4, not            patented.-   Propagation:    -   -   Type cutting.—Terminal cuttings.        -   Time to initiate roots.—About 7 to 10 days at 22 to 24° C.        -   Time to produce a rooted cutting or liner.—About three to            four weeks at 22 to 24° C.        -   Root description.—Fine, fibrous; white in color.        -   Rooting habit.—Freely branching.-   Plant description:    -   -   Form.—Compact, low and outwardly spreading, and decumbent            plant habit.        -   Growth and branching habit.—Moderately vigorous and            freely-branching with about six main stems and multiple            secondary lateral branches.        -   Plant height.—About 11 cm.        -   Plant diameter or spread.—About 51 cm.        -   Lateral branches.—Length: About 34 cm. Diameter: About            2.5 mm. Internode length: Vegetative branches, about 1.75            cm; reproductive branches, about 5 cm. Strength: Strong.            Texture: Pubescent. Color: 146A.        -   Foliage description.—Arrangement: Opposite, simple. Length:            About 3.4 cm. Width: About 3.2 cm. Shape: Deltoid; highly            dissected, fern-like. Apex: Acute. Base: Attenuate. Margin:            Deeply dissected. Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Coarse,            pubescent. Venation pattern: Pinnate, netted. Color:            Developing and fully expanded foliage, upper surface: 147A.            Developing and fully expanded foliage, lower surface: 147B.            Venation, upper and lower surfaces: 147B. Petiole: Length:            About 8 mm. Diameter: About 2 mm. Color: 147A.-   Flower description:    -   -   Flower type and habit.—Single upright salverform flowers            arrangement on terminal racemes; flowers sessile. Freely            flowering with about 56 flowers per raceme; about three            racemes per lateral branch. Inflorescences positioned above            and beyond the foliage. Flowers last about five to seven            days under greenhouse conditions. Flowers not persistent.        -   Fragrance.—None detected.        -   Flowering season.—In the garden, flowering is continuous            from spring until fall.        -   Inflorescence size.—Height: About 5 cm. Diameter: About 3.8            cm.        -   Flower size.—Diameter: About 1.3 cm. Tube length: About 1.8            cm.        -   Flower buds.—Length: About 1.1 cm. Diameter: About 2 mm.            Shape: Tubular. Color: 83C.        -   Petals.—Quantity/arrangement: Five per flower fused at base.            Lobe length: About 6 mm. Lobe width: About 4 mm. Shape:            Cordate. Apex: Emarginate. Margin: Entire. Texture, upper            and lower surfaces: Velvety, smooth. Color: When opening,            upper surface: Brighter than 83A. When opening, lower            surface: 83C. Fully opened, upper surface: 83A; towards the            center, close to 155A. With development, color becoming            closer to 83B. Fully opened, lower surface: 83C to 83D.            Throat: Close to 155A.        -   Sepals.—Quantity/arrangement: Five, fused into a tube.            Length: About 1 cm. Diameter: Less than 1 mm. Shape:            Ligulate. Apex: Acuminate. Margin: Entire. Texture, upper            and lower surfaces: Coarse, pubescent. Color, upper surface:            148A. Color, lower surface: 148B.        -   Peduncles.—Length: About 5.25 cm. Diameter: About 1 mm.            Angle: Upright or curving upward on horizontal stems.            Strength: Strong. Color: 146A.        -   Reproductive organs.—Stamens: Quantity: Four. Anther shape:            Ovoid. Anther length: Less than 1 mm. Anther color: 145B.            Pollen amount: Scarce. Pollen color: 154C. Pistils:            Quantity: One. Pistil length: About 1.3 cm. Stigma shape:            Bi-parted. Stigma color: 145B. Style length: About 1.1 cm.            Style color: 145D. Ovary color: 145B.        -   Fruit/seed.—Fruit and seed production has not been observed.-   Disease/pest resistance: Plants of the new Verbena have been    observed to be relatively less susceptible to Powdery Mildew. Plants    of the new Verbena have not been observed to be resistant to other    pathogens and pests common to Verbena.-   Temperature tolerance: Plants of the new Verbena have been observed    to be tolerant to temperatures ranging from 2 to 40° C.

1. A new and distinct cultivar of Verbena plant named ‘Rap Purey Two’,as illustrated and described.